(1) That
a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on Mental Health
Services, be appointed to inquire into, monitor and report by 30 June
2008 on ongoing efforts towards improving mental health services in
Australia.

(2) That
the committee have the power to consider and use for its purposes the
transcripts of evidence and records of the Select Committee on Mental
Health appointed on 8 March 2005.

(3) That
the committee have the power to send for and examine persons and documents,
call for and receive submissions, and convene public hearings, roundtables
and symposia on developments in mental health including new and changing
issues in policy.

(4) That
the committee may report from time to time its proceedings and evidence
and any recommendations, and shall make regular reports of the progress
of the proceedings of the committee.

(5) That
the committee shall have reference to the reports of the Select Committee
on Mental Health A national approach to mental health - from crisis to community ,
the National Action Plan on Mental Health agreed to at the July 2006
meeting of the Council of Australian Governments, and the National Mental
Health Strategy and associated plans.

(6) That
the committee consist of 7 senators, 3 nominated by the Leader of the
Government in the Senate, 3 nominated by the Leader of the Opposition
in the Senate and 1 nominated by the Leader of the Australian Democrats.

(7) That
the chair of the committee be elected by the committee from the members
nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

(8) In
the absence of agreement on the selection of a chair, duly notified
to the President, the allocation of the chair be determined by the Senate.

(9) That
the deputy chair of the committee be elected by and from the members
of the committee immediately after the election of the chair.

(10) That
the deputy chair act as chair when there is no chair or the chair is
not present at a meeting.

(11) That
the quorum of the committee be 3 members.

(12) Where
the votes on any question before the committee are equally divided,
the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting
vote.

(13) That
the committee and any subcommittee have power to send for and examine
persons and documents, to move from place to place, to sit in public
or in private, notwithstanding any prorogation of the Parliament or
dissolution of the House of Representatives, and have leave to report
from time to time its proceedings and the evidence taken and such interim
recommendations as it may deem fit.

(14) That
the committee have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of 3 or
more of its members and to refer to any such subcommittee any of the
matters which the committee is empowered to consider.

(15) That
the quorum of a subcommittee be 2 members.

(16) That the committee be provided
with all necessary staff, facilities and resources and be empowered
to appoint persons with specialist knowledge for the purposes of the
committee with the approval of the President.

(17) That
the committee be empowered to print from day to day such documents and
evidence as may be ordered by it, and a daily Hansard be published of such proceedings as take place in public.